Return to Me, My Darling
by AILOVE-withcake
Summary: I will never forget the life I left behind, the walks in the street, the love of my life that had taken me in without so much of regard for the safety of her life, and the war. LevixPetra 1940's France AU. Probable dipictions of violence, starvation and abuse. WW2 centric AU.


**Return to Me, My Darling**

I will never forget the life I left behind, the walks in the street, the love of my life that had taken me in without so much of regard for the safety of her life, and the war. That was many years ago and my grand-children would never have to know the horrors that I went though when I was younger. For all I cared they probably just figured that I when I had first come to America everything slid into place when in reality it was still very different for me after escaping the war. I hadn't come here fresh eyed and bushy tailed, nor looking for riches. Before the tea cools I'll have to tell you why I came here and what happened to me in France.

* * *

It was June of 1940 and my world was spinning as normally as it always had been. There was talk of the war in Poland and Germany, to which the military began going to the Maginot Line and setting up defenses. It didn't worry me; I had everything I could ever want. At the start of the war I was in my mid twenties, the prime of my life, several close friends, a family that I loved despite my mother's pestering for me to get married, and a small shop just off at the edge of Paris. It was a warm day, sunny and not a single cloud in the sky. For several minutes I considered stopping by the newsboy who usually camped out near my shop but decided against it. September of 1939 Germany had invaded Poland, and by the sixth of October Poland surrendered. All of us were hoping that appeasing Germany would keep the peace. I don't know how well that worked but I guess it didn't really matter right now.

My shop was a small one, the only thing I could buy with little money and the money that I borrowed from my family and extended family; but it was enough that there were quite a few regular visitors and buyers looking for cheap goods. As usual there were two children sitting outside the shop door that looked a bit like Auruo's brothers. Once I was in site of them I knew I was doomed. The two kids jumped to their feet and ran towards me, and I briefly considered running away and coming back later.

"Levi! Is the new volume to The Adventures of Tintin out yet?" That's what they wanted. Of course since really the only reason they went to my shop without Auruo was for candy and the comic books I occasionally sold. What a great morning, already I was in love with the day.

"Is there a box outside?" The two boys stopped and looked behind them at the shop doors and shook their heads. "Thought so, so calm down. I'm getting a shipment in a few hours." For a minute I shuffled around searching my pockets for the correct keys, which had dropped to the ground the second they were pulled out of their respective pocket. Grumbling, I bent to get them and unlocked the door, letting the two boys inside the shop.

"Since you boys are here get a broom and sweep the place." The boys groaned, shuffling behind the counter and bringing the brooms and began to clean. About twenty minutes later the boys had finished cleaning and sat on several chairs to the side of the counter when the door clicked open.

"Levi, I have that merchandise you ordered." It was Erd, who finally came to rid me of these loud children. The two boys however brightened instantly.

"Oh good, I was about to go home and jump out of my apartment building." Sarcasm dripped out of my voice while I took the box from Erd. It wasn't that large, but enough that it was heavy. "Get these children away from me and back to the cages where they belong. Erd only laughed and pulled out a pocket knife so I could open the cardboard.

"What about the comic book?" They demanded and I sighed loudly.

"Fiine, I'll give you the books first." The first rounds of cheers of the day were always too loud. I hate children. "That's a Franc each." The books in my hand were replaced with the correct money and off they were cheering away. "Now go to school brats." Erd only laughed and leaned against the counter.

"Anyway, Petra promised to stop by with Gunter and Arurou later to help out here. I still have a few errands to run so I'll stop by with lunch later." I shook my head, pulling an apron over my shoulders.

"No, my mom insisted that she make my lunch again today." A few months ago my mother had moved back in with me dragging along my broke father with her. Ever since then it was constant nagging about me finding someone to marry or if I'll ever marry. Erd laughed again and my irritation spiked. "What?" I demanded, walking up to the taller man in a sort of offensive way. Erd shook his head, whipping tears from his eyes and trying to stop the chuckles escaping his throat.

"Nothing, I'll stop by later then Levi." With that Erd was out the door, leaving me by myself and the box of merchandise to restock. It was a small shop, enough for three isles four shelves high and a bathroom in the back with the counter right by the door. Somehow in the shops earlier years it began to be popular with children, despite my lack of excitement business was business. I was nearly done when the door opened again. It was a woman by the sound of the heels of her shoes, and the graceful way in which she walked. The woman had strawberry blonde hair and a sweet face belonging only to Petra Ral. Like Erd and the others, Petra has worked under me for five years now after giving them jobs. There wasn't much to do in the shop anyway, just watching it when I didn't feel like working.

"Are you in Levi?" I smiled a little, walking out from behind an aisle. I stood there patiently, waiting for her to notice. When she did a smile broke out onto her face and she walked smoothly over to where I was standing. I returned her smile and moved the now empty box on my hip under my arm.

"Hello Petra." Petra nodded, uncrossing her guarded arms and placing them at her sides. She was wearing a favorite dress of hers, something I had given to her a year back. She'd worn it many times after that, and the colors matched her face perfectly.

"Did you hear-the Nazi's have entered Paris?" She chattered, her face full of eagerness and nervousness mixed in. There were already rumors about the treatment of the Jewish population in occupied countries and if Germany was invading their neighboring countries then things weren't going to look good for the rest of us if the Germans have already invaded the capital.

"What?" I asked, in near disbelief. Petra nodded, looking out the window briefly.

"Yes, they just reached the edge of the city." She said, now fully staring out the window as if it may harm her. Her lower lip trembled slightly, a frown formed on my face and I quickly embraced her.  
"It will be fine Petra." I mumbled in her ear, hoping that maybe it would calm her at least a little. She seemed hardly convinced, but her body relaxed into mine.

For a while we didn't move, until the door tinkled open again. I hardly needed to glance since I already knew who it was from the way the person walked. Only my Uncle would walk with a slight hobble from the time he spent during the Great War. Without hesitation I released Petra and walked to greet him. From the look that he cast he was upset. The visible frown on his face made him look almost another twenty years older and his light brown hair seem lighter.

"This is an outrage; the Germans have taken over Paris." He ranted, swinging his walking cane around the air. "What does the French army do? Nothing, that's what," His voice was higher than it normally would have been, cracking slightly from the yelling he was causing. "Now we're doomed to starve." From beside me Petra stiffened, gasping slightly in alarm.

"Tonton, calm down," I scolded lightly, no one could really control him, not even Grandfather. "And stop swinging that thing around before you knock things over." Tonton didn't look exactly sorry, but he did set the cane down and lowered his voice.

"You've heard the news, what the Nazi's are doing out there in Poland and Czechoslovakia and Germany. We'll be next for sure." His voice raised another octave with his desperation.

"We'll be fine; England will come and help us out." Tonton didn't look convinced and neither did I, they had already pulled out to prepare themselves so they might not come and help us out here now that we've been occupied. Petra who had been remaining quiet spoke up finally.

"Levi, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while." She started, quietly at first and slowly getting louder. "My parents wrote to me from my hometown and they want me to come back home where it will be safer." Petra's face looked pained, and a near pasty color. "What do I do?"

"Nothing," I replied firmly, walking behind the counter and setting the box away. "Go home and get a good amount of sleep tonight. I have things to do at home." I ordered firmly, sliding easily into a jacked and pacing over to the door and walking through it. "Lock the door when you leave." With that I sauntered down the street.

* * *

My apartment was on the third story and near the middle of the building at the first streets holding housing. This area I lived in held a lot of Jewish families and as a result everyone knew everyone. Just as I reached the door- room 487 to be exact- it burst open in my face with a staggering amount of force. Without so much of an apology, my arm was gripped, quickly tugging me inside the apartment building.

"Levi you heard the news didn't you?" My mother's voice droned before I had even regained my composure. "I had to find out from next door since your radio is so broken to even change channels." My mother was a tall stringy woman with pre-maturing graying hair from raising children and with naturally sunken in cheeks and judging green eyes.

"Yes mother, I heard the news." I replied passively while pinching the bridge of my nose between my middle and thumb. "My radio is perfectly fine and I only need one channel anyway." Without much of a glance I slipped out of the jacket I was wearing, flinging it lazily on the clothes rack and walked into the bathroom to inspect my face for damages. My mother was still talking but it didn't really reach my ears, and fortunately I wasn't bleeding.

"—and your friend as well." My head turned to the door where she was now standing.

"What, need to use the mirror? Sorry, just making sure you didn't smash my face in with the front door." My mother scowled, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Were you even listening?" She questioned with her usual scrutinizing stare.

"So you don't need the restroom then? Make sure you knock first so you don't see things you don't want to see."I joked with a straight face, ignoring her questions. "That's how-"

"Levi you listen to me!" I stopped halfway through my sentence, leaning on the bathroom counter and looking at her dead on.

"What?"

"You're going to have to stop seeing Petra; I knew it was a bad idea to let you have a relationship with someone who isn't Jewish." She ranted, her arms crossing tighter around her body. "Besides if the rumors are true you could be shot."

"I'll be fine Maman, now let me through." I muttered, trying to slide past her frame blocking the doorway. She didn't budge, and finally I sighed. "I'll be careful, now let me through."

"I'm just trying to keep you safe." She called after me from the bathroom, finally giving up at trying to reason. I made my way over to the small kitchen and took out the bottle of milk which we got everyday and took a large drink from it, since now we've been occupied we're more likely to lose simple luxuries such as consistent milk every day. From across the hallway outside one could faintly hear loud arguing from the neighbors and my apartment door opening. Assuming it was my father due to him being the only person -save from my mother- who had the apartment key to my house. It was upon meeting my mother one would ask where I got my short height since her height defied logic until my father rolled around. To be honest my father was a short round man, reaching only five foot one and was a very hefty man with chubby cheeks and balding black hair creating an almost circle around the sides of his head and always had to get his suits custom-made even though most of the time we hardly had the money to do so. But putting all of that aside he was a cheerful man, opposite that of my mother never failing to crack bad jokes and always, always eat the clay figure in the King's Cake.

"Levi I hope you like oranges since that's what I bought to go with dinner." His voice wafted down the apartment, and I put the milk back to where it was just as Maman walked into the kitchen with the groceries that Dad bought.

"Oranges are fine." I answered, cutting off Maman before she could open her mouth and scold me for drinking milk right out of the container. Dad nodded, waddling over to the counter and taking the bag from Maman, who then proceeded to light a cigarette. She didn't stop when I glared at her angrily, only huffing to herself and sitting at the table, the smoke creating waves around her nose resembling a malevolent demon. "Maman, please don't smoke in my apartment." The sound of my voice was sharper than I had intended on it being which didn't do much for the frown on her face and the smoke curling around the air of the kitchen. My breath came out as a sigh, and I had made my way to the hallway near the door, the coats stacked messily on the coat rack. "I need to take a walk, I'll be back later." The door was closed behind me before I had even finished my sentence.

The air was sticky and hot even though it was night time and

* * *

warm breezes did nothing to cool my warm face. It was an unclean feeling I didn't exactly enjoy much but there wasn't much for me to do about it anyway so sticking my head out the window would have to do. The balcony to the apartment was standard to the design of the building, though it wasn't too fancy and could only hold two people standing at once. From the main room the radio became louder slightly. There was the news cast telling everyone something we already knew. "—has visited the Eiffel Tower today; England has pulled out of the battle to prepare for an attack on its own borders. The French people are urged-"Maman sighed and continued to rock in her chair stiffly even after Father turned off the radio. Maman had taken up this habit of sewing when she became nervous had had been working on this purple scarf for the entire afternoon.

"Levi," Maman's voice was tired, weary from the day. "Please come inside…its cold." Her voice was quiet, but I had no other choice but to come inside, snapping the door gently behind me. The whole living room looked just sad with Maman rocking in the chair and Father fiddling with his thumbs.

"Well aren't you a pathetic lot?" My voice was laced with sarcasm and a scrutinizing stare at the sulking duo. Maman only shrugged, and Father hardly looked up. "It'll pass, you'll see Maman." I held an attempt of some form of comfort, though it was something that never seemed to stick with me. Compassion was never a strong point, making me more aloof than anything. Father nodded in agreement, fake cheer on his pudgy features.

"Levi is right Agathe, it'll be over soon and we can go back to our daily routine." Maman nodded only slightly, her rocking continuing at a slightly faster pace and resuming her work on the fabric. Father looked at me ever so slightly, returning to Maman. "I think we should all head to bed, it's been a long day." I sighed neutrally, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my pants and walking out of the room.

"Night then, sleep well." When I left them that evening they didn't look as reassured as I would hope. And it would only be a downhill stop from there.

* * *

**Alright, so this is my first SNK fanfiction. I do realize that it is on a sticky situation and if it gets too much negativity then it will be removed. However I intend to make it realistic and as well written as I can. This is just a fanfiction and it is used for purely for pleasure reading. If anyone would like I can send them a rough outline of the plot if they are so concerned about this topic. There will be some censorship as well and the rating will most likely go up as the story goes on. So I really would hope that you enjoy this fanfiction to the end and let me know what you think. **

**I'd also like to help rivil on tumblr for helping me out with the research and motivation to write this. I'll probably be posting this on my tumblr as well later. **


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